Ex-boyfriend Is Guilty In Slaying

Mundelein — A Lake County jury Thursday found Calerino Galicia guilty of first degree murder in the stabbing death of his former girlfriend in a Mundelein apartment in March.

Galicia, 28, could be sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for plunging a steak knife into Roberta Martinez 44 times, an act that he maintained was a crime of passion.

Galicia said he and Martinez, 27, broke off their relationship a week before the slaying. He said they had an argument and went their separate ways after he learned she was writing and calling a former boyfiend in Mexico.

"I was destroyed," a tearful Galicia told the jurors on Thursday, testifying in Spanish. Galicia said he would never intentionally kill someone he loved as much as Martinez.

Galicia said he went to see Martinez the night of March 13 because he hoped they could reconcile their differences.

"I never wanted to hurt her. I just wanted to talk to her," Galicia said.

His attorney, Jed Stone, contended that Galicia was provoked into killing his former girlfriend and that it was an act of passion. He said Galicia was only guilty of second degree murder.

"The evidence," countered Assistant State's Atty. Christine Moe, "is that he took a knife with a 6-inch blade and plunged it into this tiny woman 44 times."

Moe argued that the motive was anger and jealousy because Martinez had contacted her former boyfriend in Mexico.